TSIBAMS Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The day before 1984 opened, Qi Guang was still at the bar doing the final preparations.

“I think it’s almost ready, you can go back,” Bai Shu said.

Qi Guang was carefully adjusting the projector, not responding.

Bai Shu walked over and patted Qi Guang on the shoulder, “You won’t need this tomorrow, the band won’t perform until a few days later.”

The bar had a small performance stage, which could be used by small bands and singers. After all, it was a small bar, not requiring particularly advanced equipment, so they simply used a projector to display the background of the performance.

“I have nothing to do anyway. There’s no difference between being home and staying here. You should go back first,” Qi Guang looked up.

Bai Shu smiled, “I told you not to use ‘you’ with respect, I’m only two years older than you, I can’t handle it.”

Although only two years older than Qi Guang, Bai Shu’s composure didn’t seem like that of a man in his early twenties. Qi Guang never treated him as a peer, automatically putting him in the same camp as Brother Xu.

“Okay, Brother Bai,” Qi Guang said.

Bai Shu nodded, “Rest well today, you’ll be busy tomorrow, I’ll go back first.”

Ten minutes later, the door was opened again. Qi Guang thought it was Bai Shu forgetting something, but when he turned around, he saw Ye Xing standing at the door.

His clothes and pants were covered in dust, with bloodstains on his hands. He looked like he had just finished a fight, but his face showed no signs of emotion, except for a look of exhaustion and shock.

Qi Guang walked up to Ye Xing, “What happened?”

Ye Xing opened his mouth, trying to speak, but his voice was trembling, “Cold…”

Only then did Qi Guang notice that Ye Xing’s lips were pale. He grasped Ye Xing’s slightly trembling hand, which felt icy cold.

He didn’t know why he was cold. Ye Xing wasn’t wearing thin clothes. Qi Guang took off his coat and put it on him, but he could still feel him trembling lightly.

“Ye Xing, what exactly is wrong with you?”

Ye Xing didn’t understand why he was like this either. It was the second time he couldn’t control his trembling.

Was it because of anger? Sadness?

Or… fear?

“Qi Guang, give me a drink.”

“We’re not open yet,” Qi Guang helped Ye Xing to the sofa, turned and went to the bar, “I’ll pour you a glass of hot water.”

A moment later, Qi Guang returned with a glass of hot water. He placed the glass in Ye Xing’s hands, letting him hold it with both hands to warm up.

Looking at Ye Xing’s blank expression, Qi Guang asked, “What happened with the blood on your hands? Did you get into a fight?”

Holding the hot water, Ye Xing felt like the blood was circulating again, and he slowly came to his senses. He took out his phone, found Chen Hui’s photo and showed it to Qi Guang.

“You went to fight him??!!” Qi Guang knew Ye Xing was impulsive, but he didn’t expect him to be so reckless.

But looking at his expression, it didn’t seem like the anger of a fight, but more like the fear and helplessness of someone who had killed someone.

“I didn’t specifically go to fight him,” Ye Xing took a sip of the hot water, the temperature was just right, then continued, “Beating him was just a side effect.”

“Then what?”

Ye Xing turned to look at Qi Guang, who looked worried. Ye Xing couldn’t help but show a faint smile, “Don’t look at me like that, I didn’t beat him to death.”

Qi Guang breathed a sigh of relief, “You wouldn’t dare to.”

Ye Xing lowered his eyes.

Yes, he wouldn’t dare to. He didn’t have the guts to go to jail with his dad.

Half an hour ago, while Fang Rong was in the bathroom, Ye Xing secretly unlocked Fang Rong’s phone.

He didn’t even have to open the messages one by one; the keywords he saw already stung his eyes. He slowly scrolled down——

…illegal fundraising…

…asset mortgage…

…bankruptcy…

…imprisonment…

And a bunch of debt collection and politely refusing to lend money messages…

In an instant, the world turned dark, and Ye Xing almost lost his balance. He felt his body start to tremble uncontrollably. He couldn’t hold the phone properly. He threw the phone back onto the sofa. A myriad of thoughts flooded in.

If he hadn’t wasted his years of learning Chinese, these messages could be summarized in one sentence—

Old Ye was going to jail for illegal fundraising, leaving his wife and son with a pile of debt.

Everything made sense.

Why was he in this crappy place? Because he had no home! And had to hide from debt collectors!

And Fang Rong was still in the old city running around to deal with the debts, not daring to come over. He couldn’t imagine how Fang Rong went from a sheltered housewife to a superwoman carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.

All the wild thoughts and everything he dared not think about before were now over.

His life had also collapsed.

He felt like there was a wad of cotton in his throat, making it difficult to breathe. He inhaled and exhaled forcefully, but the suffocating feeling didn’t lessen, it only made his heart clench tighter. To make himself feel better, he could only gasp for air, which made him look like…

A dog.

The courage he had been determined to find the truth was now completely extinguished. He had never been so afraid to face it.

He couldn’t even tell what he was afraid of.

Afraid that the truth is just the truth?

Afraid of what Fang Rong would look like when she found out that he knew the truth?

The sound of flushing the toilet came from the bathroom, and Ye Xing pushed open the door and ran out, trembling.

When he passed Zhou Tian’s shop downstairs, he slowed down, looking at the happy family of three inside. He almost fled.

Maybe he just wanted to go out for some air and calm down.

He didn’t need comfort, nor did he need to cry with anyone.

He just needed some time to digest the information and calmly face his new life.

Face the exhausted Fang Rong, and the old Ye who was suffering in prison.

Ye Xing was walking aimlessly in the streets, not even noticing when he bumped into people, until someone reached out to block his path.

His mind was blank, unable to think. He only saw a very thin man in tight pants and a short-sleeved T-shirt. On his exposed arm was a very obvious skull tattoo.

Skull?

Ye Xing shook his head, and turned his gaze towards the other man’s face.

Wasn’t this the guy Qi Guang showed him on his phone a couple of days ago?

The other man, looking impatient, was about to lash out at him for bumping into him when Ye Xing asked in a low voice, “Chen Hui?”

“Who do you think you’re calling grandpa?!” The man, known as Chen Hui, replied without hesitation.

That’s right, this person was the bastard who molested the senior in the KTV!

Ha, I searched high and low, and it turns out he was right under my nose.

Ye Xing felt all his hot blood rush up.

Chen Hui hadn’t had time to wonder how the other person knew his name when he was thrown to the ground.

Ye Xing held him to the ground and started beating him. If the fight with Qi Guang before was because Qi Guang was only defending and not attacking, this time, the man in front of him was clearly defenseless.

He never knew he had such explosive power when fighting.

Chen Hui howled in pain.

“Fuck! Who the hell… are you… are you crazy??” Chen Hui roared while covering his head with his hands.

Ye Xing simply grabbed Chen Hui’s neck and punched him in the face, “I am your dad!”

Chen Hui couldn’t speak, and begged for mercy with difficulty.

You animal, you only have this much strength, and you still dare to bully girls!

You can only bully girls!

Ye Xing cursed inwardly, but he didn’t say it out loud. After all, those words were too obvious. If Chen Hui came back for revenge, the senior would be the one to suffer.

All the anger, sadness and annoyance turned into strength, and Ye Xing punched Chen Hui’s face until the other man stopped shouting or begging.

He was still breathing, probably just fainted from fear.

Ye Xing got up, entered the nearest convenience store, pointed at the person lying at the door to the owner, and signaled to call an ambulance.

He didn’t linger and left immediately.

If he was walking aimlessly at first, now, his route was clearly heading in a certain direction.

He didn’t know who he could trust in this place.

Except for Zhou Tian.

But when he passed Zhou Tian’s house just now, he left without a second thought.

If he had to find a place to stay, or if there was someone who could let him talk without reservation, someone who wouldn’t mind knowing about his ruined life, there was only one person he could think of.

He walked until he reached the entrance of 1984. He looked up at the sign, which was probably newly installed since it looked so new.

Ye Xing pushed open the door and went in.

Qi Guang knew that Ye Xing must have encountered something. If Ye Xing wanted to talk, he would listen. If he didn’t want to, he didn’t mind keeping him company.

Anyway, he wasn’t in a hurry to go home.

Anyway, no one was waiting for him to come home.

Ye Xing curled up on the sofa, his eyes unfocused, slowly sipping the hot water.

Qi Guang continued to fiddle with the projector. After finally turning it on, he couldn’t project the light onto the stage in a complete and stable manner. Trying to project light onto a white screen during the day was indeed a test of eyesight.

Ye Xing watched him mess around for over ten minutes without getting the projector straight, and felt a little anxious. He stood up and closed all the blinds, instantly turning the room into night, and the projector light became very bright.

Qi Guang turned his head to praise Ye Xing for doing a great job, but was greeted with two cold words.

“Idiot.”

Fine, scold me if you want, as long as you’re happy. Qi Guang didn’t argue with him, instead going to the bar to get the kettle and refill his hot water.

Ye Xing always thought that Qi Guang, although he liked to joke and was sassy, ​​was very good at controlling his actions, knowing when to move forward and when to back off.

He looked cold on the outside, but was actually a very warm person.

Before this, Ye Xing always thought that high emotional intelligence meant being smooth and accommodating, just some personality-less descriptive words, in short, annoying.

But after knowing Qi Guang, he began to understand the positive side of the term.

Some people have high EQ to get what they want in a way that makes people comfortable.

And some people have high EQ just to make others feel comfortable.

For example, Qi Guang.

Although their first meeting wasn’t friendly, he didn’t hold a grudge and even saved him from the embarrassment of not having money for the fare.

After that, he was always very sensible, especially when fighting, not like him who would get reckless when he was agitated.

Most importantly, or rather, most special, Qi Guang and he seemed to have established a relationship of trust.

It was different from how he got along with Zhou Tian.

It was also a feeling he had never experienced before.

“What are you spacing out for?” Qi Guang snapped his fingers in front of Ye Xing’s eyes, “Feeling better?”

Ye Xing was interrupted by him and felt embarrassed and annoyed, rolling his eyes.

“You have the energy to roll your eyes, looks like Ye Xing is back,” Qi Guang smiled and continued to work.

Ye Xing continued to curl up on the sofa, battling with the hot water.

Suddenly, the phone rang. The caller ID was — Old Fang.